Newsletter: Maruata at the Crossroads Book, Plumbing & Masonry Dictionary English/Spanish, Flow Splitters, Upcoming Events
March 2004
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Dear Systems design enthusiasts:
We're proud to announce new information and products we've got available:
New book: Maruata at the Crossroads
My baptism by fire into writing in Spanish: eighty pages, with 125 photos, graphics and tables on the ecological systems design for an indigenous village in Mexico. Water supply, sanitation, cultural preservation...it's all here. There's an introduction and summary in English available on the Maruata at the Crossroads (download) page.
This book is offered as a by donation download (you can check it out for free), or in hard copy with a beautiful color cover at regular or subsidized price. Let your Spanish speaking friends know.
English/ Spanish/ Pictorial Plumbing and Masonry Dictionary
This is a download list of common plumbing and masonry tools and components, in English, Spanish and pictures. It includes use tips (how to make good joints in PVC and galvanized, for example), and doubles as a shopping list for hardware store runs, which was the use for which it was originally developed.
It is in both PDF and editable MS-Word formats. A great use for a list like this (even if you don't need the Spanish) is having a consciously limited set of plumbing sizes and materials to deal with. For example, in Maruata, I'm steering us towards use of 1/2", 1" and 2" sizes, and carefully avoiding 3/4", 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" sizes. This greatly reduces the amount of inventory we need to keep on hand, and increases the likelihood that we'll have the right part amongst a smaller store of stuff. Author: Art Ludwig, published by Oasis Design. 2004. 8.5x11, 6 pages, 57 figures, black & white, 136K download. $4.95 -NOTE: this is a beta version; drawings are pencil sketches, layout is not polished and it is not exhaustive. That being said, its the best we've seen in this otherwise empty niche.
More info: Tools & Materials Shopping List for Plumbing and Masonry in English and Spanish
Flow splitters
We've offered double ell flow splitters, the key component in branched drain greywater systems, for some time. However, our stock has been limited and we've kept this fact fairly well hidden. Now they are right out there in the catalog, and on their own page:
Three way diverter valves
Do you think we should offer them for sale? They aren't always easy to find. If enough of you Email us to ask for them, we will.
10x
See way cool images zooming from millions of light years away down to a quarks in an oak leaf.
This site does a great job for showing scales from light years to microns—too
bad there's not something similar for understanding
water quality.
Upcoming programs
I'll be speaking at:
- California Strawbale Association Spring Conference at Matilija hot springs near Ojai, CA on ecologicial building, April 17th or 18th, 2004
- PG&E water conservation showcase on greywater systems and codes, in San Franciso, May 25th 2004.
- On understanding water and water systems design, at either or both of these
Cob
Cottage workshops, in Coquille, Oregon:
July 25 - July 31 Basics of Cob
Aug 8 - Aug 27 Cob Start-to-Finish for Owner-Builders
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